Wonderland Winter Wedding With A Sleigh at Black Hills Receptions, USA

If you’re currently planning your winter wedding nuptials for next year then this wonderland winter wedding at Black Hills Receptions, USA is full of festive traditional vibes with a modern twist. With contemporary red and black styling amongst dreamy outdoor backdrops, it’s full of beautiful details for your big day. Stylist Justin Straw of Justin Straw Designs and Sandra Nichols IndigoBlue Photography created the shoot simply because they loved the holiday season and wanted to tell a story and capture a crisp and contemporary winter wedding day with traditional details. We hear from Justin about the inspiration behind the shoot and he gives us some top tips when planning your wedding day…

Inspiration

“We did this shoot to celebrate the holidays, it’s a special season that I love so it’s always important for me to celebrate it by doing something I love! Couples who are planning a winter wedding can use their memories of the festive season as inspiration for their own wedding day. For me, this shoot was about using traditional colours of the season and adding in some contemporary details too. The venue is such a beautiful woodland setting that in many areas the backdrops spoke for themselves.”

Planning Advice

“When it comes to the dress don’t be afraid to try on lots of styles. Keep an open mind and have fun with it. I wanted our bride to feel chic and sophisticated. We choose a dress with beautiful lines and simple details. It’s important for you to feel amazing but comfortable in your dress. so no matter what your theme go with something that you love! Having your hair and makeup done in my opinion is a must for the big day! Sometimes I know it feels a bit heavy but if it’s not done professionally it can look a bit washed out in photography.”

“Your stationery is the first thing your guests will see, so choose something that is going to tell your story straight away. Think about your theme and colour scheme and work with professionals to create something that will tell your story perfectly. This will get your guests excited to celebrate your big day with you!”

“When choosing your photographer make sure you are looking at full galleries and that you’re not just picking a photographer by looking at a few pictures. Make sure your expectations are the same as the photographer, what pictures do you want, what style do you want them to be. Make sure you ask your photographer lots of questions. Communication is a must.”

“Flowers for me are a must at weddings. Don’t be afraid to make a statement with them, they can be costly but absolutely worth it when it comes to decorating your venue. Your bouquet should be big and bold, you’ll have lots of pictures with it, and it will totally be worth it! When it comes to the cake make sure you taste the samples and different flavours available. It’s no longer about and iced fruit cake (unless that’s what you want). Choose a cake and flavours that you love as a couple!”

The Team – Wonderland Winter Wedding With A Sleigh at Black Hills Receptions, USA

Planning, Styling and Photography IndigoBlue Photography @indigoblue_photography

Planning, Decor, Floral and Styling: Justin Straw Designs @justinstrawdesigns / Venue Black Hills Receptions @black_hills_receptions / Bride’s Dress, Shoes and Veil David’s Bridal Rapid City @davidsbridal / Tables, Chairs and Sleigh Bouquet, Headband and Boutonniere Changing Seasons Floral @changingseasonsfloral / Groom’s Suit Mainstreet Menswear Rapid City @mainstreetmenswear / Jewellery Riddle’s Jewelry @riddlesjewelry / Cake Stands Opulent Treasures @opulenttreasures / Hair and Makeup Amanda Wilson @amandasmeraki/ Linens Linen Tablecloth @linentablecloth / Invitation Suite Copy Country Inc @copycountryinc / Wine Prairie Berry Winery @prarieberrywine / Cakes, Macrons and Apples The Sweetery Newell @thesweeterynewellsd / Bride Madi @madi_mccabe / Groom Kyle @kchumpman